Invisible Man Vocabulary

ambivalence

uncertainty/the state of mixed feelings

eg- "She felt a deep ___ toward the job offer, knowing the salary was high, but the hours were long."

paradigm

a mental mode or framework

eg- “The company is seen as a ___ of successful modern entrepreneurship”

occlude

to shut out/close

eg- “Blood clots can ___ arteries and stop the normal flow of blood.”

existentialism

philosophical movement/idea that individuals determine their own meaning/purpose

eg- “She realized that due to ___, she could choose her own path”

ontology

the study of the nature of being and what exists

sonorous

having a loud, deep sound

eg- “The ____ voice of the opera singer filled the entire theater”

paradox

a statement that seems contradictory or absurd

eg- “In a strange ______, the bitter medicine made him feel sicker before it started to cure him”

impunity

exemption from punishment/responsibility

eg- "Because his father was the headmaster, he thought he could break the rules with ____."

conciliatory

showing a willingness to reconcile/end a disagreement

eg- “The manager spoke in a ____ tone to calm down the upset customer.”

Polemic

a controversial argument

eg- “The political candidate published a scathing ____ on his blog to mock his rival's platform.”

waggish

humorous

eg- “His ____ remarks kept everyone laughing throughout the meeting."

myopia

a narrow view, lack of discernment, nearsightedness

eg- “She wears eyeglasses to correct her ___”

torpid

sluggish, numb

eg- “After a heavy meal, the ____ cat could barely lift a paw, preferring to lounge in the sunbeam.”

palaver

unnecessary/idle talk

eg- “Enough of this ___, we need to start working on the project now”

Verbiage

overly wordy

eg- “The editor removed the excess___ from the long article to make it clearer.”

obsequious

marked by fawning attentiveness/trying too hard to get someone’s attention

eg- “She is constantly followed by ____ assistants who do everything she asks.”

Enumerate

to list/count

"She began to _____ her goals for the upcoming year."

aggregation

the collecting of units/parts into a whole

eg- "The abnormal _____ of misfolded proteins in the brain is a primary characteristic of Alzheimer's disease."

sectarian

limited in scope, relating to a specific religious/political groups

eg- “The country was split along ____ lines after years of political and religious unrest”

countenance

facial expression

eg- "The photograph showed his somber _____."